SpaceX Dragon to deliver crew supplies, research to ISS

Washington, May 20 (IANS) SpaceX will launch its Dragon spacecraft for its 11th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre on June 1.

Dragon will lift into orbit atop the Falcon 9 rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers living aboard the station, NASA said in a statement on Saturday.

The flight will deliver investigations and facilities that study neutron stars, osteoporosis, solar panels and tools for Earth-observation.

“In addition to studying the matter within the neutron stars, the payload also includes a technology demonstration called the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT), which will help researchers to develop a pulsar-based, space navigation system,” NASA said.

Neutron stars are the glowing cinders left behind when massive stars explode as supernovas and contain exotic states of matter that are impossible to replicate in any ground lab.